# Mass immigration- what's to be done? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 4, 2015, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909 "2015-09-04T15:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Hiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hiker)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/341 "2015-09-11T21:30:36Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > So, a refugee gets to Germany. Presumably a safe place. Why move to Sweden? Beats me. Maybe they have been told that it is a good place to start a new life. Why do you think they do it? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/342 "2015-09-11T21:43:48Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > I’m mocking arrogance. In an earlier post he said: “\* just a warning though, many have told me in the past that regarding the English language I do better than many natives.\*”. Well, too late, the point was that in my experience many others can follow what is being discussed, with my bad grammar or not. And other posters did follow the points that I made. I rather be bad with grammar rather than being a denier on what leaders of nations like Cameron are doing by “inviting” more **refugees** after they refused to do more before. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/343 "2015-09-11T22:17:28Z")
> [@Hiker](#): > > The old Nazi comeback \*and \*the cliche about the oh so bad German sense of humour and all in one post? Go slow man, or you’ll be running out of ammo soon. Don’t forget my little dig about 1966 > [@](#): > > And yes, it is the position of the German government that each counry should take a share of the burden of helping the refugees. It seems to be your position that Germany should close its borders to the refugees (or as you would put it, to stop “encouraging” them to come.) So we are “dictating” each other’s policies now, are we? So Frank-Walter Steinmeier hasn’t insisted that other EU countries should share the ‘burden’ of the people that Merkel has welcomed to Germany? ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/344 "2015-09-11T22:21:59Z")
> [@Hiker](#): > > Beats me. Maybe they have been told that it is a good place to start a new life. Why do you think they do it? For economic reasons. Welfare benefits. Don’t worry though, keep your head in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening. ---
**Author:** ![Hiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hiker)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/345 "2015-09-11T22:50:45Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > For economic reasons. Welfare benefits. Don’t worry though, keep your head in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening. Head in the sand? Why? What is the reality that you believe I am ignoring? That the refugees are going to the country that they believe is offering them the best opportunities? Why would I ignore that? Where else would they go? ---
**Author:** ![Hiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hiker)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/346 "2015-09-11T22:59:13Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > So Frank-Walter Steinmeier hasn’t insisted that other EU countries should share the ‘burden’ of the people that Merkel has welcomed to Germany? I do not know whether Steinmeier said such a thing, but it would not surprise me, because Angela Merkel has. So? It is not exactly unusual for one European country to have a strong opinion on what the members of the Union should do. Are you telling me that the UK government would never do that? I am sure they will also approach the governments of the other countries and try to convince them of their position. But dictating? What means do you think the German government could have to dictate anything to Downing Street? As long as the UK does not openly violate any treaties they signed I can see none. So where does the idea come from that Germany was dictating anything to the UK? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/347 "2015-09-12T01:04:03Z")
But will make all hell break loose-Germany is allowing entry for these people, but they will have to have their claim for asylum evaluated. this means that “economic migrant” will be told (at some point) to “go home”. After several years of German welfare benefits, nobody is ever going to do this-there will be riots and violence beyond belief. Most likely, the German army will have to get involved-it will get ugly. Germany will regret this. ---
**Author:** ![inscrutable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a88e4f/32.png) [@inscrutable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inscrutable)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/348 "2015-09-12T01:45:45Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > But will make all hell break loose-Germany is allowing entry for these people, but they will have to have their claim for asylum evaluated. this means that “economic migrant” will be told (at some point) to “go home”. After several years of German welfare benefits, nobody is ever going to do this-there will be riots and violence beyond belief. Most likely, the German army will have to get involved-it will get ugly. Germany will regret this. All of Europe will. How many of these “refugees” were cheering in the streets 14 years ago today? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/349 "2015-09-12T02:01:25Z")
> [@inscrutable](#): > > All of Europe will. > > How many of these “refugees” were cheering in the streets 14 years ago today? Mostly the same that do **remain** in the middle east fighting. And also the ones that are going to the middle east to fight for ISIS. Back in the Vietnam era the USA took in 300,000 refugees. If you think about it, remembering what the USA did in Vietnam, there should had been many disgruntled second generation Vietnamese acting up. Virtually no cases have been seen, most are indeed proud Americans now. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/350 "2015-09-12T02:02:35Z")
> [@inscrutable](#): > > How many of these “refugees” were cheering in the streets 14 years ago today? I give up. How many? ---
**Author:** ![Hiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hiker)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/351 "2015-09-12T06:19:45Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > But will make all hell break loose-Germany is allowing entry for these people, but they will have to have their claim for asylum evaluated. this means that “economic migrant” will be told (at some point) to “go home”. After several years of German welfare benefits, nobody is ever going to do this-there will be riots and violence beyond belief. Most likely, the German army will have to get involved-it will get ugly. Germany will regret this. For all I am hearing from the States these days, the idea of sending all illegal immigrants back to Mexico is gaining a lot of support. How many of these immigrants are there currently? 11 million? 15 million? Will there too be “riots and violence beyond belief”? Besides - what alternatives do you suggest? The vast majority of the economic migrants you are talking about are coming from Albania and Kosovo (with Serbia a distant third). How should we stop them from coming here? Best we can do is to send them back home as fast as possible. I agree that we currently are not doing it fast enough, which is mostly an organizational problem. But beyond that? There are not that many options. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/353 "2015-09-12T07:39:19Z")
Police in Munich, Germany are expecting 40,000 **new** refugees **today**. As of now, nobody is keeping track any more of who is entering the country. ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/354 "2015-09-12T07:46:29Z")
German authorities are contemplating the confiscation/expropriation of privately owned, but currently unoccupied homes to house refugees. > **[Bund und Ländern prüfen angeblich Zwangsvermietung an Flüchtlinge](https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/fluechtlingskrise/bund-und-laendern-pruefen-angeblich-zwangsvermietung-an-fluechtlinge-13798684.html)** > > Es wird immer schwieriger, Flüchtlinge adäquat und auf Dauer unterzubringen. Bund und Länder denken laut eines Fernsehberichts über die Zwangsvermietung leerstehender Immobilien nach. Kritiker sprechen von Enteignung. (This was reported last night). ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/355 "2015-09-12T08:17:13Z")
The Austrian town of [Nickelsdorf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickelsdorf) (pop. 1,700, on the border to Hungary) has been raided by 10,000 immigrants, who crossed the border from Hungary, since 7 a.m. (local time) yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/356 "2015-09-12T10:53:43Z")
> [@Hiker](#): > > For all I am hearing from the States these days, the idea of sending all illegal immigrants back to Mexico is gaining a lot of support. How many of these immigrants are there currently? 11 million? 15 million? Will there too be “riots and violence beyond belief”? > > Besides - what alternatives do you suggest? The vast majority of the economic migrants you are talking about are coming from Albania and Kosovo (with Serbia a distant third). How should we stop them from coming here? Best we can do is to send them back home as fast as possible. I agree that we currently are not doing it fast enough, which is mostly an organizational problem. But beyond that? There are not that many options. There has to be forced repatriation. Otherwise, there will be another 4 million migrants in Germany. If this is what is wanted, so be it. But I submit that this will cause profound effects on the German nation. There are now 1.5 million Syrians in Lebanon (living on UN aid); these people will enter Germany as soon as they can scrape up enough money. ---
**Author:** ![Hiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hiker)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/357 "2015-09-12T11:23:17Z")
For migrants from the Kososvo, Albania or Serbia I agree. There must be and will be forced repatriation. For the Syrians that is not an option. Even if there was a practical way of transporting these people back to Syria, doing so while the war is still going on would be a violation of the Geneva Convention. Are you suggesting we should do it anyway? If the war were to end anytime soon, things might be different. But I am not seeing that. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/358 "2015-09-12T11:28:17Z")
I hear fake Syrian passports are going for big $$, these days. How do you disprove a “refugee’s” claim? good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/359 "2015-09-12T11:32:47Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I hear fake Syrian passports are going for big $$, these days. Before I believe you, would mind revealing the source of this rumor? ---
**Author:** ![Hiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hiker)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/360 "2015-09-12T11:35:41Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I hear fake Syrian passports are going for big $$, these days. How do you disprove a “refugee’s” claim? good luck. Once again: What do you suggest we do? You keep saying that whatever Germany or Sweden are doing right now is wrong, stupid and will lead to our eventual downfall. Do you have any better ideas? Ideas that you are actually willing to defend? You suggested forced repatriation, but when I pointed out to you that this would be a violation of the Geneva Convention you dropped the matter. So what is it going to be? ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909/361 "2015-09-12T12:11:13Z")
Here is what German chancellor Angela Merkel said in an interview yesterday, quote [1]: > [@](#): > > Das Grundrecht auf Asyl für politisch Verfolgte kennt keine Obergrenze; das gilt auch für die Flüchtlinge, die aus der Hölle eines Bürgerkriegs zu uns kommen. Translation (by yours truly): > [@](#): > > The basic right to asylum (she is referring to Article 16 of the German constitution) knows no upper limit; this also applies to refugees, who come to us from the midst of a hellish civil war. (She goes on to say that this doesn’t apply to immigrants from the Balkans since these are safe countries and there is no civil war). In other words: All people from all regions in the world where there is a civil war going on are invited to settle in Germany. [1] [http://www.rp-online.de/politik/deutschland/angela-merkel-das-grundrecht-auf-asyl-kennt-keine-obergrenze-aid-1.5383275](http://www.rp-online.de/politik/deutschland/angela-merkel-das-grundrecht-auf-asyl-kennt-keine-obergrenze-aid-1.5383275) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mass-immigration-whats-to-be-done/729909.md?page=19)